The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-23
A BATTLE WITH OUTLAWS.
TWO HUNDRED MEN HAVE A FIGHT
WITH CRAIG TOLLIHER,S GANG.

I"O hCNDhhiS lubN AhFN N FkWHA
WITH CRAIG TOLLIVER's GANG.
Tho Leader and Three OF his Men Killed
End Of tho Kentucky vendetta-A PoIiti-
cal Feud that LED to Many Murders.
LOUISVILLE, June 22.-In Kentucky's law
less county of Rowan was this morning enact
ed tho final chapter in the bloodiest mountain
vendetta known in the history Of the State.
Four desperate mon forfeited their lives whilo
resisting the mandates OF the law. After tho
destruction Of thousands Of dollars worth OF
property, and tho loss Of twenty-one lives.
Rowan county can now roturn to peace and
prosperity. To-day's work ends the success
sion Of tragedies that have been enacted
in that county since tho beginning Of tho
Martin Tolliver feud, not quito two years ago.
tho result Of which up to date has been, besides
the killing Of twenty-one men, the manning
for life OF at least score more Of persons. the
destruction Of all social relations and Of nearly
the entire business interests OF tho county.
and q state Of lawlessness and terrorism that
have driven good men. with their families.
away from homo and friends to seek new homes
in other parts Of the country.
The vendetta that for years has been terror
izing Rowan county arose from political quar-
rel when Cook Humphreys,a young Republican,
was elected to the Sherin's Office In 1884 Tho
fight began, Craig Tolliver, q noted desperate,
declaring that mo ID Republican should
rule over Rowan county" That afternoon
fight occurred. In which Solomon Brad
ley was killed. It was said. by John Martin,
residing near Morehead, although the crime
was not fixed upon him. He was indicted. and
shortly aftor he met Floyd Toliver, who was
one OF the participants in the fight when Brad
ley was killed. Some quarrel arose, and Mar
tin killed Tolliver. for which he was arrested,
sent to Winchester for safekeeping, and then
he was got out on forged writ by Tolliver's
friends, and assassinated ON the train by
party who boarded 1t near Morehead. and who
were friends Of the guards
The Tollivers then began the work Of exter
minating tho Martins and their friends, prom
inent among them being the Cook Humphreys
party. who sided with the Martins Humphreys
was chased into tho bushes, escaping but his
friend, Ben Rayburn, was killed and a notice
posted on his body forbidding burial. Every
one is familiar with the succeeding crimes Of
this desperate gang. Sympathizers with
the opposing faction were ambushed and
shot down without mercy. until the
blood OF at least ten victims cried
out for vengeance. The militia were
called In but the Tolliver gang were protected
by court in which Judge and jury were
friends OF the Tollivers, and the court proceed
ings we're farce. Perjured witnesses and a
partial Judge and jury wiped away efIectually
each crime and turned the monsters out to
commit fresh deviltries.
The names of the victims in the order killed
arc:
csadeIe Deputy Sheriff B.um gardner. Mason kss.on,
Wills
nS bDa tja % ~
and Jay Tolver, and Hiram Cooper
special from Lexington says:
The news from Rowan countyis Of the most
exciting kind, Craig Tolliver having been killed
and his gang dismembered forever. The news
comes By Lexington clergyman and others
who came through Morehead to-day on the
Chesapeake and Ohio train from Norfolk. Va.
About $3.50 o'clock this morning. whom this
train was within few miles Of Morehead. 1t
was tagged by some citizens, and when it
came to stop they informed the con-
ductor that bloody battle was going on
In Morelfead between a Sheri1's posse
and tho Tolliver gang and that 1t
would not be safe for tho train to proceed I'M
til hostilities ceased. The passengers and
train men were all very much frightened, and
at their solicitation the conductor ran the
train to Martins switch. two miles and a half
east Of Morohead. There they remained until
nearly IL o'clock. when they were notified that
se hsas Es Swn sh saet the
The train stopped for some time at More
head. and there the passengers learned the
Sheriff Hogg. presumably acting under in
from The state d he
has been for about a week quietly organizing
upper part Of Rowan county and the adjoining
Tolliver, or all the party that was implicated in
the mHrder OF the Logan boys, two weeks ago.
Tut they were SO vague that he supposed the
shsFs pSsss = Hoiysr ana his aJ party Con
and Won't heavily armed to 'i meet overs east,
ward bound train at the depot to search for
got OF ct Morehead but those whom they de-
sired Sheriff aogg equipped his large party
eore Is to his
EySrytning was ready for the move on the
known that neither he nor any Of his mon
to ns se
finally determined 70, attempt the arrest Of the
sss da fn "sd to sqne e. in
from being Killed by accident. Accordingly at
tho line Of the railroad. Within two or three
miles Of Morehead. on each side Of tho town,
notified to stop all trains and the
SO that the passengers and train men Would
not be placed In danger.
Sheriff Hogs band Of men. numbering 200.
this morning. A Gordon was first established
around the entire town In the brush whore the
tered the town at the head OF about 100 we'll
armed men. Craig Toliyer and his ten follow
Hotel. which they had previously barricadedin
such manner as to make 1t quite formidable
fortress.
Sheriff Hogg then notified Tolliver that he
had warrants for the arrest of all the mon i'm
plicated in the killing, OF the Logan boys, and
under the law. Tollivers reply was that
neither he nor his men would be arrested,
and that o hundred men could not take
them. His party then opened fire upon
the Sheriff's posse Quite brisk rattle
Of musketry ensued. and the fighting was
Kept up Tor about two hours. The only casualty